Hial airport strikes suspended after new pay offer

Strikes at airports in the Highlands and islands have been paused as unions consider a new pay deal.

PCS, Prospect and Unite members have been offered an improved 7% rise. The unions rejected a 5% deal in October.

Their action has disrupted services at Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) since December. Fire and rescue, security and admin staff are involved.

NHS Western Isles said the suspension comes too late to rearrange flights for around 500 patients hit by the strikes.

The health board made alternative plans for consultant visits and mainland appointments, after Loganair warned that it would suspend some island flights for six weeks from 17 March due to strike disruption.

The strikes have affected a number of Hial's 11 airports including Barra, Dundee, Stornoway and Sumburgh.

Loganair said there would be no further updates until after unions have voted on the new offer.

Prospect and Unite have suspended strikes from Monday while they ballot their members.

Jane Rose, of Prospect, said: "This is a welcome improvement to the offer, although it is clear there are wider pay structure issues at Hial which remain to be addressed. "As a gesture of good faith in the negotiations, and recognising the positive change in the offer from Hial, we will be suspending all industrial action until the conclusion of consultation with members."

Unite welcomed the offer was a significant step forward, but said the final decision was in the hands of members.

PCS said it would consult its members and national disputes committee.

It is involved in a separate national dispute and said a strike on Wednesday 15 March will go ahead as planned.

Hial managing director, Inglis Lyon, said the improved pay offer was included in a new business case approved by Transport Scotland.

He added: "We look forward to the outcome of the ballot and are hopeful for a positive result.

"We apologise for the disruption this industrial action has caused and would ask passengers to contact their airline if they have any questions on flights."

It emerged this week, that NHS Western Isles was working on alternative arrangements for hundreds of island patients affected by strikes.

Patients regularly travel to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for MRI scans, biopsies, cancer surgery and radiotherapy. Consultants also regularly visit from the mainland.

An NHS Western Isles spokeswoman said: "Given the scale and complexity of that work, which involved significant reorganising and prioritisation for clinicians and their work schedules, including travelling by ferry rather than air, it is unlikely that NHS Western Isles would be able to reverse the necessary contingency arrangements that were made."

Loganair said it welcomed the positive step forward in the pay negotiations.

A spokesman added: "Loganair aims to resume services from Inverness to Kirkwall, Sumburgh, Stornoway and Benbecula as soon as it is practical to do so.

"We will issue further updates in due course in line with the ballot outcome."